Pink Lights to Support National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and one easy way you can show your support is by using a pink light bulb on your front porch light. Most of them sold at stores this time of year (I found mine at Walmart) actually donate some of the cost to various breast cancer related charities also.

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I try and do as much as I can for breast cancer, but havent heard of running a pink light- very neat idea and I will have to look for one soon. Which reminds me I havent done my breast cancer tweets today!

Jeannette

I lost my mother in law at far too young to nasty breast cancer. I too will have a pink lightbulb and here’s hoping that some time in the not too distant future, there is a cure for this disease. As women, it is important to all of us.

Diana V

I’ve never heard about this so I guess i add something else to the shopping list this week… Doesn’t look very bright though so folks will have to watch their step this month. :)

http://www.RobynsOnlineWorld.com/ Robyn’s Online World

It is a little dim, but still plenty of light to see with when walking up.

marinsalem

We have weird porch lights…like only one place in town sells them…so I doubt there are pink bulbs out there for us, but your porch looks great.

Ravzie

As a nurse, I’m certainly in support of all efforts to cure all kinds of disease. But really, don’t you think the football players look funny in the pink shoes and gloves though?? LOL I also prefer to donate directly to agencies and organizations that I know are really working on the disease, rather than buying every product who puts a ribbon on the package. How are the light bulb makers, yogurt packers, whatever, actually participating? Who gets the money for the pink ribbon lapel pin you bought? If Yoplait just donated instead of spending the money to print pink cup tops and advertise about the pink cup tops, there would be more money for cancer research in my mind. Just sayin.

terrik

I think most of the examples you listed are to raise awareness in general, the goal of which is to increase fundraising of course, but sometimes raising awareness can make more women go for check-ups and save lives. I don’t disagree with you, esp. about who gets the money for the pins, ribbons, etc., but I support efforts to raise awareness because I think it does help save lives.

Ravzie

This I know. Seems like there are no other diseases worth consideration, based on what you see on tv these days. How can anyone NOT be aware??? The Walk For the Cure ad, etc, is on the tube constantly.

I am interested in knowing how much money the Komen people and some others make and what they do with all this money, aren’t you? The current Komen CEO doesn’t take a salary, but the previous one got paid in excess of $450,000 a year. How many low income women could have gotten mammograms for that much money? Not to mention the cost of all the advertising….

Yes, I do have some issues with everyone blindly following along with buying this or that because it’s “for breast cancer” or whatever. Same as blindly donating to fundraising activities for anything – often times you are raising funds to run the organization and pay the fundraiser.

But by all means, buy a pink lightbulb and burn it brightly if it makes you feel like you are “helping”.

JMHO

http://www.RobynsOnlineWorld.com/ Robyn’s Online World

I think sometimes it is not that people have never heard of something, but sometimes it takes a long time for it to sink in. I personally didn’t do self-exams or even go to the doctor for exams for YEARS even though I was very aware that I should. I was just scared. Finally, I did it. Had it not been in the media so much I might not have. There are so many other causes out there also that are far less talked about and I do try to share those here on my blog too. I don’t know all of the Komen salaries but I do know that my mom (a 10+ year survivor) donates a LOT of her time to Komen here in St. Louis and is on one of their boards as well. My mom is one of these folks who doesn’t lightly donate her time to others and wants to know the background and what a group is doing, etc. If she felt they weren’t doing enough she wouldn’t be a part of it. She does tell me though about some of the problem areas within different parts of cancer research – she knows more changes need to be done to help.

I completely appreciate you sharing your opinions and thoughts on this here on my blog. I love hearing what others have to say, even if it is different that my feelings. I’m not disagreeing with you really. We all need to be more aware and not just take things on face value so much. For me though, using a pink light bulb makes me feel good J

http://www.RobynsOnlineWorld.com/ Robyn’s Online World

I totally understand your point of view and I think direct donations are fabulous. Brands that are doing the pink thing (or any other color depending on the cause) are doing it as a form of advertisement to make their brand stand out as friendly and caring. I have found that some give MUCH bigger donations (based on percentage) than others – some brands take advantage of just adding the pink on and donate very little. Regardless, it does help keep it in people’s minds and I think that it helps some women eventually realize that they really do need to do self exams and go get checks ups and such. I think breast cancer is probably one of the biggest pushes we see, but that is probably because women are the purchasers of so many things and it seems all of us know someone who has been impacted by breast cancer.

Ljatwood

Great idea! I am going to get one of these for our porch!

simplydab

I’d be scared they wouldn’t throw off enough light. I’ll have to show my support in more traditional ways I’m afraid.

http://www.RobynsOnlineWorld.com/ Robyn’s Online World

Whatever works J

Joyce McDaniel

Robyn, I thank you so much for putting this blog up. I totally support you in every way. I have shared with FB, twittered it, IGoogle it, Yahoo it, Google Reader and stumbledupon. I had a big scare myself this week and had to go back for more testing. I am very thankful that I was lucky and it turned out not to be cancer. There was 4 men in the waiting room that I thought at first were in there for their wives. I was wrong for they all were having to have mammogram or sonagram. Everyone needs to be aware this is not only happening to women but also to men. One of my best friends had breast cancer and lost one of her breast. Yes she lost her hair but she is alive and doing well. She was only 40 and never thought it would happen to her for she had small breast. It can happen to anyone. I wear my pink ribbon pin when I can go out. I pray they find a cure soon. Thanks again and God Bless

Ravzie

Congrats on being “negative” !!

Joyce McDaniel

Thanks for your reply, believe me it was a very scary day and I hope I do not have to go through all of this testing again.

Guest

Hi Robyn, wanted to let you know I have had 2 people to respond to my iGoogle post of yours.

http://www.RobynsOnlineWorld.com/ Robyn’s Online World

Yay!

http://www.RobynsOnlineWorld.com/ Robyn’s Online World

I’m so glad your scare wasn’t cancer! Yes, men are impacted by this directly as well. At the Komen Race for the Cures here in St. Louis there are always some men survivors here and I think it is something we forget about too often.

Eileen

We have had several friends and family affected…and one who lost her fight. Two of them were only in their early 30’s when dx. I think for the most part the word is out as most people have at least someone they know who is affected and docs and clinics do a pretty good job educating people about early detection and getting into exams. The sad thing is that people (like me) have such busy lives and dont take note of changes or get in for their yearly exams like we should…I am going on almost 3 years since last mammogram, but have my appt. finally.
It’s true, If we all work on prevention more I think we could save a lot of people with early dx. But the answer still lies in the cure. And that goes for all cancers and many other diseases. I tend to agree with an earlier posting. I think too many companies get on the bandwagon with campaigns to raise money. But marketing like this is also to get kudos for doing so, in hopes of getting more consumers to use their products. I think if they can spend that much in ad hype, they could just as easily donate and call it a day. go easy on the gimmicks. The info is out there already, now the med teams and researchers just need the money to push for a cure. IMHO

http://www.RobynsOnlineWorld.com/ Robyn’s Online World

Excellent points!

deadchristmastrees

Aw thats so cute AND its for a good cause! I think I would do this even if it wasnt for breast cancer awareness. Its just unique and different and definitely a convo starter!

nik

That’s a simple easy way to show support…great idea! I like that whole neighborhoods do it, and some businesses string up pink bulbs to outline their buildings too, which looks really cool and is a good way to start important conversations. Cheers!

AngelaLilly

OMG this is SO cool! I did not know about it or even know pink light bulbs existed! Did they make them in CFLs too? Very awesome!